Cylinder printing-press



a sheets-sheen.

Patented May 9 J. T. HAWKINS..

GYLINDER PRINTING PRESS.

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(No Model.) 3 sheets-Sheena. J. T. HAWKINS.

CYLINDER PRINTING PRESS. No. 257,579. I Patented May 9.41882.

. a sheets-sheet 3. J.HT. HAWKINS.

GYLINDBRPRINTING PRESS. No. 257,579. Patsntd 4May 9,1882;

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y f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

i JOHN T. HAWKINS, OF TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CYLINDER PRINTING-PRESS..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,579, dated May 9, 1882. A Application filed April 1S, 1881. (No model.) 4 l To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. HAwKrNs, of Taunton, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cylinder Printing-Presses, which improvement is fully set forth and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

Thaobjects of this in'ventioniare the same as those set forth in connection with a summary of the state of the art in the specifications of my inventions in printing-presses herewith filed, and respectively marked cases A and B; but the distinctivev characteristic of this invention is that the sheet is delivered tail first from the cylinder, instead of head first, by means of certain combinations of devices, which will now be described, as follows:

In the said drawings, Figure vlA illustrates in side elevation a cylinder-press containing the improvements constituting this invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the machine illus! trated in Fig. 1, having the feed-board and iiyboard omitted. Fig. 3 is aplan ofthe machine with the feed-boardand ink-rollers omitted. Fig. 4 illustrates in two views enlarged details ot'certain parts shown in Figs. l and 2, and hereinafter fully described. Fig. 5 illustrates a rear elevation ofthe cylinder of the press, showing certain details of construction hereinafter described.

j In the said figures the same parts are indicated by like letters, as follows:

The letter A indicates the side frame ofthe machine, B, the impression-cylinders; C, the feed-board, O', the ily-board; It, the ink-rollers; B', the bed; G, a crank secured to a shaft, G', to be driven by any suitable means or power.

To the crank Gr is secured the crank-pin c, which bythe connecting-rod c' is connected to the shaft P', which serves as theaxis or journal of the rolling pinion P.

The stationary rack E is secured to the bed or roller-ways R2 of the framing of the machine, and a corresponding` rack, E', is attached to the under side of the reciprocating bed of the press B', to and between which, racks the rolling pinion P is geared and rotates.

. Journaled withinthe roller-frameset carriagew K are a series of rollers, E2, which are securedto shafts S S, as is likewise secured the pinion P to the shaft P', journaled in the said frame or carriage.

The rollers E2 revolve and traverse within the roller-ways R3 and support the bedB' by its corresponding roller-ways, R3. This arrangement gives to tbe bed a rectilinear motion or length of travel double that imparted to the carriage K, thus avoidingV the use of a crank of inconvenient length or too great radius. The rack R4 is secured to the upper side of the bed B', to which is geared the gear wheel R5, secured to the impression-cylinder B.

The cam D upon the shaft G', through the intervention of the roller D', connecting-rod D2, crank-arm D3, eccentric rock-shaft D?, and cylinder-journal side rods, D5, raises` and lowers the cylinder B to clear the types or form at the proper time.

The cam F upon the shaft G', through the intervention of the roller F, connecting-rod F2, crank-arm F3, rock-shaft F4, the two attached ylever-arms F5, and returning-springs F6, im-

parts areciproeating motion to the slides F7 upon the guides F3. The guides F3 have their ends fixed in the standards S', secured to the `frames A. The slides F" carry two shafts, V3

V4, respectively provided with two lower jaws, gand g', forming two sets of traveling grippers.

The upper jaws, g', and their shaft V4 have no other motion than that due to the reciprocation or travel of the slides F7; but the lower jaws, g, in addition to the same reciprocation, are caused to open and close for the purpose of seizing the sheets between or releasing them from said jaws at the proper times. The grippers g g' are thus operated. The lower jaws, g, are kept shut by means of the helical spring V3, coiled around their shaft V3; but when in the course of delivery of the sheet the small curved lever-arm V2, likewise secured to the shaft V3, is broughtin contact with the roller V' upon the bracketV it causes a partial rotation of the shaft V3, and consequently the de,

pression and openin g of the jaw g, which opening releases the sheet from the grippers g g', whence it falls upon the tly-board below. As the grippersleave theA roller V they are again closed by the spring V5, and sonremain un til, at the other end of their travel, the jaws g are again opened by the arm V, loosely IOO mounted upon the shaft V3, coming' in contact with the pin p, secured in the standard S', which contact causes said arm to rise against the pin p in the curved arm V2, thereby turning the shaft V3 and depressing the jaw g, thus opening the grippers for the insertion of the leading edge ofthe sheet. At this time the slides F7 have approached the cylinder and are nearly though not quite at rest. The loose arm V6 therefore just passes over the pin p before the slides reverse,thereby releasing the j aw g, so that it is instantly closed upon the lupper jaw, g', thus yholding the Sheet between said jaws by the reaction of the helical spring V5.

The shaft b extends across the press at the back of the cylinder, and is journaled in the frames A. Secured to said shaft is a series of bridge-fingers or strippers, b', and a crankarm, b2, is also secured to said shaft outside of the frame A, as shown at the right hand of Fig. 2.

To'the crank-arm b2 is articulated a connecting-rod, b3, the lower end of which is connected to one of the cylinder-journal side rods, D5, by a pin, 124,'by means of which connection the reciprocating motion of the side rods, D5, is transmitted to the bridge-fingers or strippers b', which arethus caused to approach :the cylinder B as 'it rises and to recede from it as it is lowered by the successive operations of the cam D and the side rods, D5,vand their connections, already described.

The bridge-fingers or strippers b are so adjusted on the shaft b that when the cylinderB and its side rods, D5, are raised said fingers and the brushes journaled therein, as hereinafter described, just escape Contact with the blanket or tympan surrounding the cylindersurface, while with the cylinder B lowered down and printing, said fingers, with their brushes, are carried far enough away from the cylinder to clear the sheet thereon.

In and through the bridge or stripper iingers b is journaled a small shaft, 7l, carrying a series of narrow rotary brushes, h. The shaft h is driven from a pulley, h2, upon the cylinders axis by means of a belt, h3, leading to an idler-pulley, h4, upon a stud in the frame A, and thence by a belt, h5, to a pulley, h6, upon the end of the brush-shaft h, all of which is omitted in Fig. 2 for the sake of clearness of illustration. By this means the shaft h and its brushes h are carried by the strippers b' away from the cylinder B, to clear the sheet during the printing rotation of the cylinder, and caused to approach it at the commencement of the retrogression. Hence it is quite obvious that the revolution of said brushes -will raise the tail of the sheet upon the strippers b as the cylinder commences to retrograde. The cylinder then continues to deliver the sheet upon said strippers during the whole of its retrogression. The cylinder and brushes are shown in detail in Fig. 5.

A small shaft, j, (net shown in Fig.2,) isjournaled in the frames A, and carries two or more narrow pressure-rollers7 j', which are so placed thereon as to run or revolve on the unprinted margins of the sheet. Said rollers are adjusted to bear lightly upon the sheet while it is passing under them, yet cause'sufcient friction between the cylinder-surface or tympan and the sheet to insure the carrying backward of the sheet by the cylinder B during its retrogression.

The complete operation of the machine is as follows The sheet being fed by the usual guides from the feed-board C, is taken thence to the cylinder-grippers just as the cylinder is brought almost and practically to rest by the arrival of the crank Gr at its dead-center. Gorrect feeding-register is thus assured, all these parts being then in a state of least motion. The crank G, then passing its center,-com mences to move the bed upon its forward or printing stroke. The bed, thus put in motion, causes the cylinder to rotate forward and carry the sheet through the process of receiving the impression, the cam D throughits connections, alreadydescribed,havingatthecommencement of said rotation of cylinder and printing-stroke of bed lowered the cylinder B into contact with the form and held it there during the stroke just described.

, The diameter of the cylinder B and the stroke of the bed B are so proportioned each to each that the cylinder is caused to make a greater rotation than one complete revolution during a single stroke ofthe bed, sufficient to bring the tail of afull-sijzed sheet above the points of the oscillating brid ge-n gers or strippers b.

At the conclusion of the printing-stroke just described the cam D, through its connections already described, brings the bridge-fingers or strippers b close enough to just clear the surface of the cylinder B or tympan covering it as it retrogrades, and causes the brushes ha', journaled in said strippers, to press lightly upon the eylinders surface. The tail m of the sheet is thus elevated from the cylinders surface by the revolving action of the brushes h', and.by them lifted'above the brid ge-n gers b', which latter then strip the sheet from the cylinder at the commencement of its retrogression. The traveling grippers g g', through the operation of lthe cam F, formed and adj usted as described, are now caused to approach the cylinder, to seize the tail m of' the sheet as it passes upon the bridge-fingers b', and to carry the sheet backward over the ily board C at about the same velocity with which it is delivered by the cylinder B upon said bridge-fingers, and then to release the sheet and drop it upon the ily-board C', or upon the previously-delivered sheet, by the sheets owngravitation, at or near the termination of the grippers, backward travel, as or when the curved lever V2 comes in colltact with the roller V', as above described.

In the drawings the feed-guides and all devices or means for operating the cylinder-grip- IOS IOS

IIO

pers and ink-rollers have been omitted, as such means formno part of this invention, and may be adopted in any of the usual forms or modes of arrangement best suited to the particular form of press or kind of work required.

I do not confine myself to the methods shown for oscillating the bridge-lingers or strippers b', for raising and lowering the cylinder B, or for imparting motion to the traveling grippers g g', as all of said movements may be effected in many well-known ways, as may be most suitable to the -kind and proportion of press desired.

Theinherentadvantages of this machine due to its construction and mode of operation, briefly enumerated, are as follows: The sheets are delivered from the top of the cylinder, the tail of each sheet irst upon a series of osci1- lating bridges or stripper-fingers during the retrogression of the cylinder, and are thence taken and delivered by a series of traveling grippers to and upon the ily-board, which, as well as the grippers, occupies a position at the back of the press under the feed-board. The machine thus simply constituted is of comparatively inexpensive design and very durable. By means of its arrangement of parts herein described it is capable of producing the finest kinds of printing without marrin g the same by subsequent contact of the work with parts ot" the delivery mechanism', and this without the use of cords, tapes, or strings in the delivery of the sheets. 4Each sheet is delivered in an even pile upon the fly-board with its last printed side upward in full sight of the pressman. These results are attained with a smaller diameter of cylinder at a much higher rate of the retrogression of the reciprocating bed of the press, the cylinder being driven directly by the bed, and such method, per se, I do not claim; but

As of my invention I claim- 1. In a cylinder printing-press, a deliverycylinder, a series of oscillating stripper-tin gers provided with rotary brushes land reciprocating or traveling sheet-grippers, in combination with means, substantially as described, for transmittingv motion to said parts, each lnovement being so timed in relation to the others that each sheet is delivered tail lirst from the back and top of the cylinder upon said stripper-iin gers, and thence seized and the delivery of the sheet completed by said grip pers, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a cylinder printing-press, in combina` tion with a reciprocating bed and an impression-cylinder and geared to said bed so as to make a greater rotation than one complete revolution of the cylinder to one stroke of the bed in each direction, a series of oscillating stripper-fingers provided with rotary brushes, and reciprocating or traveling sheet-grippers situated at the back of thecylinder, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. y

3. In a cylinder printing-press, in combination with its cylinder, a series of oscillating or vibrating sheet stripper-fingers, a series of rotary brushes, and means, substantially as dcscribed, for imparting motion to said parts, whereby the edge of each sheet is elevated and stripped from the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

JOHN T. HAWKINS. Witnesses:

G. A. CLEMENT, R. F. WHEELER. 

